7 Shows We're Binge-Watching This Summer

Wednesday

Jun 4, 2014 at 12:05 PM

With network TV season finales firmly in the rearview mirror and summer shows not yet back in full rotation, many regular TV viewers are likely facing the same dilemma: What to watch? Sure, it's great to finally have more than 5 percent storage space left on our DVRs, but it's difficult to suddenly go from carefully planning Sunday night series' schedules to watching — gasp! — repeats. But as that old, awful NBC marketing campaign goes "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you." So, which series should you dive into during this down time? Below, TVGuide.com editors share their binge-watching selections for the summer:

The Mindy Project I hadn't watched Mindy since the third episode of the first season, but as a You've Got Mail disciple, I checked out the Season 2 finale's rom-com pastiche, and no less than 72 hours later, I binged on the first two seasons in one weekend. Like any young show finding its footing, the comedy has had a few peaks and valleys (and lots of cast turnover), but it's adorably messy, charming, sweet and witty (with a wardrobe that is to die for). And you'll walk away wanting Danny Castellano as your gynecologist, personal trainer and dancer. -- Joyce EngWhere to Watch: Hulu Plus

Parenthood There are two shows I'm determined to catch up with before the new fall season: Parenthood and The Good Wife. I'm starting with Parenthood because I've already seen the first season — and loved it; I just stopped watching for no reason whatsoever. (What would my therapist say about this?) It's quickly becoming one of my favorite shows and I want the Braverman family to adopt me. Thankfully, I've been able to stay relatively spoiler-free about the series, so that probably helps. I basically blew through half of Season 2 in a single weekend, and it's been a long time since I was addicted to a show in such a consuming, stay-up-way-too-late-to-watch-one-more-episode way. The plotlines are relatable and heartwarming — but not in a saccharine, after-school special way — and the show does a great job of balancing humor and drama in a way that reminds me of beloved '90s family dramas like Party of Five. Also? The music is great. I've already added a couple of new discoveries to my iTunes library. -- Liz Raftery Where to Watch: Seasons 1-4 available on Netflix, Season 5 available on Hulu

Orphan Black Call me a follower, but whenever there's a critically acclaimed show -- especially one that's offbeat -- I'm usually late to the game. But I've finally carved out the time to get into BBC America's Orphan Black. While I'm only midway through the first season, I love the mix of mystery and humor, and I still don't know how Tatiana Maslany successfully pulls off playing so many different characters, often all in the same scene. And if I plan it just right, I can catch watch enough episodes to catch up just in time for Season 2's finale this month. -- Robyn Ross Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Six Feet Under Back in HBO's early-aughts heyday, I was considered "too young" to watch The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Six Feet Under. I have since watched (and re-watched) the first two, but I had never seen more than one episode of Six Feet Under. After the bloody TV season that just ended — RIP Will Gardner! — it felt as good a time as any to watch an entire series about death. But while every single episode may begin with the end of someone's life, Six Feet Under makes it bearable because of the truly unique way it discusses death and everything that comes with it. Although, sadly, I do know one big spoiler about the final season, I have been pleasantly surprised by the show countless times, such as the frequent use of fantasy sequences and double-takes, as well as the complex characters, including one of my new all-time favorites, the batsh-- crazy Brenda. -- Kate Stanhope Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Rectify Everyone has been hounding me to catch up on the six-episode first season of this little Sundance show, and now that it's all available on Netflix, I really have no excuse. I'm a big fan of creator Ray McKinnon's work, and this thoughtful exploration of an ex-con readjusting to life on the outside sounds right up my alley. With waves of reality TV coming my way this summer, I'm hoping this much-lauded drama will be the smart, measured, emotionally engaging series that can fill the Mad Men void in my current viewing schedule — especially since Season 2 is also right around the corner. --Adam Bryant Where to Watch: Netflix

The Vampire Diaries After Netflix pulled 24 from its ineup, I needed something to binge during the long work hours. So, I started a full re-watch of The Vampire Diaries. Not only does this show surprisingly hold up, but it has also matured and evolved with its core audience. It's also been fun to look back at some of the smaller moments that paved the way for bigger and better things. Remember when we all hated Caroline? Or when Damon found a drinking buddy in Alaric? Whoa, the original family was introduced in Season 2?! Thank God they got rid of that crow! It's definitely worth a re-watch before next season. Think of it as a super long eulogy to Damon — fine, and Bonnie. -- Natalie Abrams Where to Watch: Seasons 1-4 available on Netflix

The West Wing After continuously feeling left out of conversations, I finally gave The West Wing a chance, figuring that if people are still talking about it 15 years later, it's probably worth checking out. For the two months it took me to work through all seven seasons, Bartlett and his staff made up the majority of my social life-- and I don't regret one hermit minute of it. There's a reason the Aaron Sorkin drama has stood the test of time and continues to inspire websites, think pieces and trivia competitions (in which I've, sadly, only reached second place). Because as much as I love Scandal, if you're looking for a smart political drama, West Wing remains as relevant now as it did when it premiered (a sad statement on how little America's political landscape has changed). Plus: If you watch, you'll finally understand what the big deal with "The Jackal" and Big Block of Cheese Day is! -- Sadie Gennis Where to Watch: Netflix and Amazon Prime

With network TV season finales firmly in the rearview mirror and summer shows not yet back in full rotation, many regular TV viewers are likely facing the same dilemma: What to watch? Sure, it's great to finally have more than 5 percent storage space left on our DVRs, but it's difficult to suddenly go from carefully planning Sunday night series' schedules to watching — gasp! — repeats. But as that old, awful NBC marketing campaign goes "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you." So, which series should you dive into during this down time? Below, TVGuide.com editors share their binge-watching selections for the summer:

The Mindy Project I hadn't watched Mindy since the third episode of the first season, but as a You've Got Mail disciple, I checked out the Season 2 finale's rom-com pastiche, and no less than 72 hours later, I binged on the first two seasons in one weekend. Like any young show finding its footing, the comedy has had a few peaks and valleys (and lots of cast turnover), but it's adorably messy, charming, sweet and witty (with a wardrobe that is to die for). And you'll walk away wanting Danny Castellano as your gynecologist, personal trainer and dancer. -- Joyce EngWhere to Watch: Hulu Plus

Parenthood There are two shows I'm determined to catch up with before the new fall season: Parenthood and The Good Wife. I'm starting with Parenthood because I've already seen the first season — and loved it; I just stopped watching for no reason whatsoever. (What would my therapist say about this?) It's quickly becoming one of my favorite shows and I want the Braverman family to adopt me. Thankfully, I've been able to stay relatively spoiler-free about the series, so that probably helps. I basically blew through half of Season 2 in a single weekend, and it's been a long time since I was addicted to a show in such a consuming, stay-up-way-too-late-to-watch-one-more-episode way. The plotlines are relatable and heartwarming — but not in a saccharine, after-school special way — and the show does a great job of balancing humor and drama in a way that reminds me of beloved '90s family dramas like Party of Five. Also? The music is great. I've already added a couple of new discoveries to my iTunes library. -- Liz Raftery Where to Watch: Seasons 1-4 available on Netflix, Season 5 available on Hulu

Orphan Black Call me a follower, but whenever there's a critically acclaimed show -- especially one that's offbeat -- I'm usually late to the game. But I've finally carved out the time to get into BBC America's Orphan Black. While I'm only midway through the first season, I love the mix of mystery and humor, and I still don't know how Tatiana Maslany successfully pulls off playing so many different characters, often all in the same scene. And if I plan it just right, I can catch watch enough episodes to catch up just in time for Season 2's finale this month. -- Robyn Ross Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Six Feet Under Back in HBO's early-aughts heyday, I was considered "too young" to watch The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Six Feet Under. I have since watched (and re-watched) the first two, but I had never seen more than one episode of Six Feet Under. After the bloody TV season that just ended — RIP Will Gardner! — it felt as good a time as any to watch an entire series about death. But while every single episode may begin with the end of someone's life, Six Feet Under makes it bearable because of the truly unique way it discusses death and everything that comes with it. Although, sadly, I do know one big spoiler about the final season, I have been pleasantly surprised by the show countless times, such as the frequent use of fantasy sequences and double-takes, as well as the complex characters, including one of my new all-time favorites, the batsh-- crazy Brenda. -- Kate Stanhope Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Rectify Everyone has been hounding me to catch up on the six-episode first season of this little Sundance show, and now that it's all available on Netflix, I really have no excuse. I'm a big fan of creator Ray McKinnon's work, and this thoughtful exploration of an ex-con readjusting to life on the outside sounds right up my alley. With waves of reality TV coming my way this summer, I'm hoping this much-lauded drama will be the smart, measured, emotionally engaging series that can fill the Mad Men void in my current viewing schedule — especially since Season 2 is also right around the corner. --Adam Bryant Where to Watch: Netflix

The Vampire Diaries After Netflix pulled 24 from its ineup, I needed something to binge during the long work hours. So, I started a full re-watch of The Vampire Diaries. Not only does this show surprisingly hold up, but it has also matured and evolved with its core audience. It's also been fun to look back at some of the smaller moments that paved the way for bigger and better things. Remember when we all hated Caroline? Or when Damon found a drinking buddy in Alaric? Whoa, the original family was introduced in Season 2?! Thank God they got rid of that crow! It's definitely worth a re-watch before next season. Think of it as a super long eulogy to Damon — fine, and Bonnie. -- Natalie Abrams Where to Watch: Seasons 1-4 available on Netflix

The West Wing After continuously feeling left out of conversations, I finally gave The West Wing a chance, figuring that if people are still talking about it 15 years later, it's probably worth checking out. For the two months it took me to work through all seven seasons, Bartlett and his staff made up the majority of my social life-- and I don't regret one hermit minute of it. There's a reason the Aaron Sorkin drama has stood the test of time and continues to inspire websites, think pieces and trivia competitions (in which I've, sadly, only reached second place). Because as much as I love Scandal, if you're looking for a smart political drama, West Wing remains as relevant now as it did when it premiered (a sad statement on how little America's political landscape has changed). Plus: If you watch, you'll finally understand what the big deal with "The Jackal" and Big Block of Cheese Day is! -- Sadie Gennis Where to Watch: Netflix and Amazon Prime